Schools Rugby Midweek Preview: Huge Cup games set to dominate

A huge week of schools rugby lies ahead, with the Champions Trophy and NatWest Cup taking centre stage.

We have previewed the quarter finals of the Champions Trophy separately, which you can see here: Champions Trophy quarter finals – so this preview will look mainly at the various other fixtures.

Tuesday

Tuesday will likely be dominated by the huge Champions Trophy quarter final between the reigning Champions, Bedford, and a Canfor side who will truly fancy their chances of stealing a win. Even better, it will be live streamed by the RFU cameras.

The big game in the NatWest Cup sees Oundle travel to Stamford. Both enjoyed important wins at the weekend, with Oundle beating their big rivals Uppingham away from home, while Stamford beat a tough Haileybury side at home, to help restore that aura on their home patch.

In the Plate New Hall travel to Cooper’s Coborn, while the the Vase The Perse are playing hosts to a strong looking Langley side.

Wednesday

Wednesday is a very busy looking day, and again the fixtures most likely to dominate are the two Champions Trophy quarter finals, Oakham v Monmouth and Epsom College v Blundell’s, which is a repeat of last year’s semi final, won by Epsom.

The Cup will see plenty of exciting fixtures too, Stonyhurst College host Manchester Grammar, while Bishop Heber travel to Rydal Penrhos.

The impressive Bishop Wordsworth’s must make the trip to Pangbourne College, and will surely be feeling confident after a thumping win against Bryanston on Saturday.

Champions Bromsgrove are on the road at Lawrence Sherriff, while there is a huge game in the North as Barnard Castle host RGS Newcastle, two sides with great pedigree in this competition.

The Plate sees a good tie between Merchant Taylors’, Crosby, and Cheadle Hulme, with a monster of a game in the South West as Reigate Grammar host Portsmouth Grammar.

The winner of that will fancy their chances going forward, as will the winners of Solihull v Old Swinford Hospital and St Columba’s College v Plymouth College, while Tiffin v Wimbledon College ought to be another good game.

In the Vase there is a great looking derby between Hereford 6^th form College and Hereford Cathedral School, while King Henry VIII Coventry host King Edward VI Camp Hill. Sevenoaks are also in action, hosting Ravens Wood.

The Bowl has a few fixtures too, with Davenant hosting Westcliff High School, Sir John Deane’s travelling to Hilbre High, and former Cup runners up Old Swinford Hospital on the road at Shrewsbury.

Outside of the Cup competitions there are some other good looking fixtures, Glyn v Reed’s and Caterham v Maidstone Grammar look promising, while Hayes will want to continue their impressive from at home to Salesian.

In Wales Llandovery College v Whitchurch High School looks huge, while back in Egland Queen Ethelburga’s face a tough task in an AASE side in the form of Myerscough College.

Thursday

On Thursday the NatWest Cup game between Campion and Felsted ought to take centre stage, and will likely be a very good game of rugby between two sides who tend to perform well in the Cup.

In Scotland there is a big Cup game between George Watson’s and Loretto, while back in England Sexey’s travel to Richard Huish.

There is also a game in the Vase as Trent College host a KES Stratford side on an upward curve.

Friday

The midweek rugby is rounded off with three very exciting games under the lights on Friday evening.

In the South East Shiplake College will host KCS Wimbledon in what ought to be a cracking game of rugby. Over in Yorkshire there is a huge derby between a very much in form Woodhouse Grove, and the 2014 Champions Trophy finalists, Grammar School at Leeds. At Beckenham Rugby Club Langley Park and St Olave’s Grammar meet in a huge game that also doubles as a NatWest Bowl fixture, with a healthy crowd expected to attend.

If you have any photos, videos, or reports from the week’s schools rugby, please do send them in via email (writers@fifteenrugby.com ), Facebook (www.facebook.com/FifteenRugby ), or via Twitter (@FifteenRugbyXV).

Schools Rugby Midweek Fixtures (predictions in bold):

Tuesday

Bedford v Canford – Champions Trophy quarter final

Cooper’s Coborn v New Hall – NatWest Plate

The Perse v Langley – NatWest Vase

Stamford v Oundle – NatWest Cup

Wednesday

Barnard Castle v RGS Newcastle – NatWest Cup

Caterham v Maidstone GS

Christ’s Hospital v Steyning GS

Cranbrook v Simon Langton

Davenant v Westcliff HS – NatWest Bowl

Epsom College v Blundell’s – Champions Trophy quarter final

Glyn v Reed’s

Hayes v Salesian

Hereford 6^th form College v Hereford Cathedral School – NatWest Vase

Hilbre HS v Sir John Deane’s – NatWest Bowl

King’s Grantham v Worksop College – NatWest Vase

King Henry VIII Coventry v King Edward VI, Camp Hill – NatWest Vase

Lawrence Sherriff v Bromsgrove – NatWest Cup

Llandovery College v Whitchurch HS

Merchant Taylors’ Crosby v Cheadle Hulme – NatWest Plate

Myerscough College v Queen Ethelburga’s College

Oakham v Monmouth – Champions Trophy quarter final

Pangbourne College v Bishop Wordsworth’s – NatWest Cup

Reigate GS v Portsmouth GS – NatWest Plate

RGS Guildford v Guildford County School

Rydal Penrhos v Bishop Heber – NatWest Cup

Sevenoaks v Ravens Wood – NatWest Vase

Shrewsbury v Old Swinford Hospital – NatWest Bowl

Solihull v RGS Worcester – NatWest Plate

St Columba’s College v Plymouth College – NatWest Plate

Stockport GS v Wilmslow HS – NatWest Cup

Stonyhurst College v Manchester GS – NatWest Cup

Tiffin v Wimbledon College – NatWest Plate

Wrekin College v Ellesmere College

Thursday

Campion v Felsted – NatWest Cup

George Watson’s v Loretto

Richard Huish v Sexey’s

Trent College v KES Stratford – NatWest Vase

Friday

Langley Park v St Olave’s GS – NatWest Bowl

Shiplake College v KCS Wimbledon

Woodhouse Grove v Grammar School at Leeds